Verbatim Press Release:

A bomb threat on a departing aircraft from St. John’s International Airport has caused operations to temporarily cease at the Airport Terminal Building while the situation is being assessed and deemed safe. Air Canada flight 143 departing from St. John’s (YYT) to Ottawa (YOW) at 6:50pm was notified of a possible bomb threat on board the aircraft as it was pulling back from the gate. The Embraer 190 carrying 82 passengers and 4 crew was subsequently cancelled and all passengers departed the aircraft safely. The Airport Authority has activated its Emergency Control Centre and its emergency response team, along with the RNC, RCMP, St. John’s Regional Fire Department and Eastern Health have responded to the situation. The Departures Lounge of the Airport Terminal Building has been evacuated and no further aircraft are being handled at the Terminal Building until the area has been cleared safe. Passengers scheduled to depart this evening are advised to check their flight status with their airline prior to coming to the airport.